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A SNAPSHOT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION IN INDIANA

by Paul Ash, Assistant Director
Division of Exceptional Learners, Indiana Department of Education

Let's start with some background numbers that will help provide a context for looking at special education data. Indiana's school enrollment for 2003-2004 was 1,007,290 and 170,754 of these students were identified as students with disabilities. This calculates to an incidence rate of 16.95%…but keep in mind there are MANY ways to calculate incidence rate and this is only one of them. Indiana's students with disabilities were served by 8,306 special educators, 7,401 teacher aides, and 1,832 other special education and related services personnel in over 1800 public school buildings in the state.

Sometimes things do not go well, and this would be expected with 170,754 case conferences and annual case reviews held annually. Complaints, Mediations and Due Process Hearings are one section where data is reported in the APR. From July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003, there were 116 Complaints filed with the Division of Exceptional Learners. Of these, 99% were investigated and reported within Article 7 timelines, and 84% found violations and ordered corrective action. There were 52 requests for Special Education Mediation during this time period and 27 (slightly over 50%) resulted in a mediation agreement. Finally, there were 69 requests for Due Process Hearings during this time period, though 48 of these were resolved before the hearing and only 21 actual Due Process Hearings were held.

Special education teachers often face challenging situations resulting in recruitment and retention issues (translation- it is a tough job; often difficult to find trained personnel willing to remain in the field of special education). Limited/emergency licenses are often necessary to address this issue. A limited/emergency license indicates the teacher has a degree in education, often a license in some area of special education, but holds a limited license in the subject or exceptionality area. Limited/emergency license holders must also take coursework leading to full licensure. Progress is being made, but there were still 1469 special education limited/emergency licenses issued between July 1, 2002 and June 30, 2003, a reduction of 160 limited/emergency licenses from the previous 12-month period. The area of seriously emotionally handicapped remains the greatest area of shortage with 518 limited/emergency licenses issued from July1, 2002-June 30, 2003.

Parent involvement is high in Indiana as measured by participation in case conference committee meetings. Over 9200 student files (from 02-03 school year) were reviewed as part of Indiana's Annual Continuous Improvement Focused Monitoring. This file review indicated that 95% of parents participate in case conference committee meetings, as compared to 90% on a national average! Kudos to Hoosier parents and schools.

Progress is also being made in providing services to eligible students by their 3rd birthday. This has been problematic in Indiana and nationally. The reasons are many (First Steps late to refer; parents missing appointments; school failure to implement; etc.) but real progress has been made and there is increased communication and cooperation between First Steps and public schools resulting in speedier services for students. EVERY file for students transitioning from First Steps to public school programs was reviewed for the 01-02 school year and for the 02-03 school year. In 01-02, 37% of files indicated IEPs were implemented after the 3rd birthday, and in 02-03 this figure was 28% (though it should be remembered that if an IEP was implemented even 1 day after the 3rd birthday it is considered to be late). This progress continues and it is fully expected that the combined efforts of First Steps and the public schools will bring this number to near 0% in the near future.

Graduation rates for students with disabilities continue to be below that for students without disabilities, and drop-out rates for students with disabilities continue to exceed the drop-out rate for students without disabilities. For the 2002-2003 school year, 51.44% of Hoosier students with disabilities graduated with a diploma and 32.63% of students with disabilities dropped out (NOTES: 1. The remaining percentage received certificates of completion or reached maximum age. 2. The formula used to calculate graduation rate: Number of graduates divided by number of graduates+certificates+dropouts+maximum age. 3. The formula used to calculate dropout rate: Number of dropouts divided by the number of graduates+certificates+dropouts+maximum age 4. There are MANY different formulas used throughout the nation to calculate graduation and dropout rates. 5. Each state develops its own graduation requirements and the graduation rate for students with disabilities varies widely, as reported in the 22nd Annual Report to Congress [p A-263], from 14% in Mississippi to 81% in North Dakota.).

Progress continues to be made and there is no shortage of barriers and issues to be addressed. Schools have a large responsibility and stake in improving services and results. However, parents and families are primary participants and active involvement by parents and families can pay big dividends in the ultimate result: living a productive, satisfying, and independent life to the highest degree possible. Simple things like reading to a child…taking children to appropriate public events…having friends in the neighborhood…having high expectations…joining and actively participating in support groups… and modeling appropriate behaviors…all contribute growth and development.

A look at the data tells us we have made considerable progress and things are better today than yesterday. However, the data also tells us we have a considerable way to go and we must all pull together if progress is to continue.

 

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